A nationwide campaign has been launched to remove Islamic-influenced words that have entered the practices of Sanatan Dharma, including worship, meditation, and rituals, and to replace them with Sanskrit-based or Hindi words.
Following a report by Nai Duniya last week on the removal of the word ‘Shahi’ from the Mahakal procession, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav referred to the procession as ‘Rajsi’ instead of ‘Shahi’. Now, the sadhus and saints of the 13 Akharas, the seven sacred cities, and the four Kumbh towns are joining forces in this ‘word purification’ effort. On September 6, Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, announced plans to draft a proposal that will be sent to the administrations of all Kumbh towns. The initiative, spearheaded by the saints and scholars of Ujjain, aims to ignite a nationwide discourse on this topic.
Plans are underway to hold discussions with the sadhus of the 13 Akharas, the prominent religious Hindu leaders residing in the seven sacred cities, and the saints of the four Kumbh towns.
Decision before Prayag Kumbh
The full Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj is set to begin on January 13, 2025. Before that, efforts will be made to identify Islamic and Mughal-influenced words commonly used in Sanatan religious places and create a list of such terms. This list will be sent to the President, Prime Minister, and governors and chief ministers of all states.
The letter accompanying the list will request the cessation of Urdu and Persian words in documents related to Sanatan Dharma. Instead, the list will propose Sanskrit, Tamil, and Hindi alternatives.
Words reflecting Sanatan Hindu traditions
Ravindra Puri, President, Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad stated, words like ‘Shahi’ and ‘Peshwai’ do not align with Bharathiya cultural traditions. A meeting of all Akharas will soon be convened to pass a resolution to remove these and other Urdu and Persian terms and replace them with words that reflect Indian culture.
Based on the reports from ETV Bharat, Ravindra Puri emphasized that ‘Shahi’ is an Urdu term introduced during the Mughal era. He noted that with changing times, it’s appropriate to change the name as well, since ‘Shahi’ represents a symbol of subjugation and should be removed from Hindu religious events. He mentioned that the word ‘Shahi’ would be replaced with the approval of the Akharas, and a new term would be chosen in consultation with the saints of the 13 Akharas.
Puri further explained that when a region is ruled by outsiders, the local language often adopts elements of the conqueror’s language, which is what happened in Bharat. “During the medieval period, the influence of Islamic invaders deeply impacted our daily language. But now, it’s time to revert to our original cultural identity,” he stated.
The Madhya Pradesh government has proposed renaming ‘Shahi Sawari’ as ‘Rajsi Sawari.’ Puri added, “If a word evokes a sense of subjugation, it should be replaced. We also aim to rename the sacred bath of Kumbh Mela as ‘Divya Snan.’
Shivaji Maharaj: champion of Bhasha Shuddhi and protector of native Languages
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a pivotal figure in the preservation of Bharathiya culture, spearheaded the movement for Bhasha Shuddhi (linguistic purity) during his reign. He championed the use of Marathi and Sanskrit in administration, resisting the dominance of Persian and Urdu in official matters, which were increasingly used under Mughal rule.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a staunch advocate of preserving and promoting the native language, and he understood the importance of language as a means of identity and empowerment. During his reign, he emphasized the use of Marathi and Sanskrit in administrative and military matters, ensuring that the influence of foreign languages like Persian and Urdu, which were increasingly used by the Mughal rulers, did not overshadow the native tongues. Shivaji’s efforts were a part of a larger movement to resist the cultural domination of Islamic rulers, who had introduced Arabic and Persian terms into the administrative and social fabric of Bharat, particularly in Urdu, which began to evolve as a mix of local dialects like Avadhi and Braj with a significant influence of Persian and Arabic.
Urdu, which initially developed from the interaction between local Bharathiya languages and the languages of Islamic rulers, saw the introduction of more Arabic and Persian vocabulary over time. As Islamic conquests advanced in Bharat, the influence of these foreign languages grew, gradually becoming more prominent in Urdu. This gave the language a distinctly Islamic flavor, distancing it from its local roots. The efforts of leaders like Shivaji Maharaj sought to counter this trend, reinforcing a cultural and linguistic resurgence that celebrated the indigenous identity of the region and resisted the increasing dominance of Persianized Urdu in official and everyday life.
Urdu supremacy in Bollywood, threat to local languages
The use of Urdu has evolved into a political and communal tool in certain contexts, with some proponents promoting it as superior to Hindi. The film industry, particularly Bollywood, along with media and literature, has played a significant role in elevating Urdu, often at the expense of Hindi.
This supremacist mindset has permeated parts of Bollywood, where figures associated with the industry have sometimes looked down upon Hindi and regional languages. A notable example is when veteran actor Yusuf Khan, more famously known as Dilip Kumar, reportedly criticized legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar for her command of Urdu. He allegedly remarked that Maharashtrians like her, despite being iconic in the music industry, lacked fluency in Urdu, comparing their accent to the simplicity of dal-chawal (a Marathi term for rice and lentils), insinuating that their linguistic skills lacked sophistication.
These instances underscore how Islamic invaders influenced Bharat in various ways, particularly through the introduction of Persian and Urdu into official and cultural domains. Today, the government is making strides to restore the original essence of Sanatan Dharma practices by gradually replacing Hindu religious place names and official documents with native languages, while systematically removing Urdu and Persian words.
We have both Urdu/Hindi in Bollywood.
Both have harmed other languages.
You are promoting Hindi using Urdu as a pretext,
Why this hate for Hindi? In fact, Bharatiyas should learn as many languages as they can. And what data do you have to back your ‘claim’ of Hindi ‘harming’ other languages?
Nayi duniya to be replaced by Naveen Sansar. Hindi songs contain many Urdu words. Notable like Dil, Dewaana, mohabbat, pyaar, etc. they should becteplaced by Hruday, Prem, asantulit, etc
Just try it for a few songs and sing and see if it gets accaptance.